第76章

Bright lights streamed from thousands of windows and from bonfires in the streets.Church bells rang out the glad acclaim of Christmas from a score of steeples.The happy voices of childhood singing Christmas carols; the laughter of youths and maidens strolling arm in arm through the streets; the cheery songs of merry-making negroes;silver-throated bands, with throbbing drums and gently-complaining flutes, playing martial airs; long lines of gleaming camp-fires, stretching over the undulating valley and rising hills like necklaces of burning jewels on the breast of night,--this was what held them silent and motionless.

Rachel at last spoke:

"It is like a scene of enchantment.It is more wonderful than anything I ever read of.""Yes'm, hit's mouty strikin' now, an' when ye think how hit'll all be changed in a little while ter more misery then thar is this side o' hell, hit becomes all the more strikin'.Hit seems ter me somethin' like what I've heered 'em read 'bout in the Bible, whar they went on feastin' an' singin', an' dancin' an' frolickin', an'

the like, an' at midnight the inimy broke through the walls of ther city, an' put 'em all ter the sword, even while they wuz settin'

round thar tables, with ther drinkin' cups in ther hands.""To think what a storm is about to break upon this scene of happiness and mirth-making!" said Rachel, with a shudder.

"Yes, an' they seem ter want ter do the very things thet'll show ther contempt o' righteousness, an' provoke the wrath o' the Lord.

Thar, where ye see thet house, all lit up from the basement ter the look-out on the ruf, is whar one o' the most 'ristocratic families in all Tennessee lives.There datter is bein' married to-night, an' Major-Gineral Polk, the biggest gun in all these 'ere parts, next ter ole Bragg, an' who is also 'Piscopalian Bishop o' Tennessee, does the splicin'.They've got ther parlors, whar they'll dance, carpeted with 'Merican flags, so thet the young bucks an' gals kin show ther despisery of the banner thet wuz good enough for ther fathers, by trampin' over hit all night.But we'll show hit ter 'em in a day or two whar they won't feel like cuttin' pigeon-wings over hit.Ye jes stand still an' see the salvation o' the Lord.""I hope we will," said Rachel, her horror of the storm that was about to break giving away to indignation at the treatment of her country's flag."Shan't we go on? My long ride has made me very tired and very hungry, and I know my horse is the same."Shortly after crossing the river they passed a large tent, with a number of others clustered around it.All were festooned with Rebel flags, and brilliantly lighted.A band came up in front of the principal one and played the "Bonnie Blue Flag.""Thet's ole Gineral Bragg's headquarters," explained Fortner."He's the king bee of all the Rebels in these heah parts, an' they think he kin 'bout make the sun stand still ef he wants ter."They cantered on into the town, and going more slowly through the great public square and the more crowded streets, came at last to a modest house, standing on a corner, and nearly hidden by vines and shrubbery.

A peculiar knock caused the door to open quickly, and before Rachel was hardly aware of it, she was standing inside a comfortable room, so well lighted that her eyes took some little time to get used to such a change.

When they did so she saw that she was in the presence of a slender, elderly woman, whose face charmed her.

"This is yer Aunt Debby Brill," said Fortner, dryly, "who ye came so fur ter see, an' who's bin 'spectin' ye quite anxiously.""Ye're very welcome, my dear," said Aunt Debby, after a moment's inspection which seemed to be entirely satisfactory."Jest lay off yer things thar on the bed, an' come out ter supper.I know ye're sharp-set.A ride from Nashville sech a day ez this is mouty good for the appetite, an' we've hed supper waitin' ye."Hastily throwing off her hat and gloves, she sat down with the rest, to a homely but excellent supper, which they all ate in silence.

During the meal a muscular, well knit man of thirty entered.

"All clar, outside, Bill?" asked Fortenr.

"All clar," replied the man."Everybody's off on a high o' some kind."Bill sat down and ate with the rest, until he satisfied his hunger, and then rising he felt along the hewed logs which formed the walls, until he found a splinter to serve as a tooth-pick.

Using this for a minute industriously, he threw it into the fire and asked:

"Well?"

"Well," answered Fortner."I reckon hit's ez sartin ez anything kin well be thet Wheeler's and Morgan's cavalry hez been sent off inter Kentucky, and ez thet's what Ole rosy's been waitin' fur, now's the time fur him ter put in his best licks.Ye'd better start afore midnight fur Nashville.Ye'll hev this news, an' alos thet thar's been no change in the location o' the Rebels, 'cept thet Polk's an' Kirby Smith's corps are both heah at Murfreesboro, with a strong brigade at Stewart's creek, an' another at Lavergne.Ye'd better fallin with Boscall's rijiment, which'll go out ter Lavergne to-night, ter relieve one o' the rijiments thar.Ye'd better not try to git back heah ag'in tell arter the battle.Good by.God bless ye.Miss, ye'd better git ter bed now, ez soon ez possible, an' rest yerself fur what's comin'.We'll need every mite an'

grain of our strength."